Waxwings, a blackcap and the Big Garden Birdwatch

I saw my first waxwings just over a week ago. The BTO newsletter said that there was a flock of around 150 in Milton Keynes - in a car park, of course. By the time I got there, a week last Friday (21st, I think) there were just a few. At first I cycled around the car park looking for this large flock, but then found the few that were there, moving in and out of the trees nearby to feed on the cotoneaster and berberis. Although there weren't many, they are truly beautiful birds - and unlike many of the bird you see in books, the real thing was not a disappointment. But I did get very very cold taking a detour in my cycle to work to see them and spent a bit of time letting my feet thaw out!

Then today I took part in the Big Garden Birdwatch. Nothing spectacular - blue, great and long tailed tits, blackbirds, a robin, housesparrow, wren and a dunnock. But I did see a blackcap which I have not seen before (I think I saw one last summer but it had gone before I could be sure and that was on the way to work). This one fooled me for a while as its head was a lovely chestnut brown, rather than black - but on searching through the book I saw that the female does indeed have a brown head.

We've had the bird feeding station in the garden for a few weeks now. I wonder if it is a little near to the house as the birds are reluctant to come, but they are gradually coming now. And the blackcap, which eats insects loved the baked potato pieces that were there. I wonder if she will also like the pieces of roast potato I have now put out.

I took some photos that did not come out too well - but seem to have lost or mislaid the connecting cable from the camera to the computer - so am a bit stuck until I find it or replace it

Ysgol Galan

Llynedd, r'on i'n edrych ymlaen at yr Ysgol Galan ym Mhontypwl - ond roedd gymaint o eira, a chafodd yr ysgol ei gohirio. Eleni, dwi'n mynd ar cwrs ym Mangor - Ysgol Galan, sy'n rhedeg o ddydd Fercher i ddydd Gwener. Dwi erioed wedi bod ar cwrs yn y Prifysgol o'r blaen (ac ond unwaith i ysgol undydd yn y gogledd) a dwi'n edrych ymlaen - gobeithio ehangu fy ngeirfa a falle dysgu dipyn o ramadeg........Dechrau da i'r blwyddyn newydd (gobeithio!)

New Year

We have finally bought a bird feeder. (What the RSPB call a feeding station). I avoided doing this for such a long time because of our two cats who have had an interest in chasing mice and birds, though the collar and bell helps. Now we only have one and at 13 she is no longer a hunter, (though wears a bell in case) so with the harsh winters last year and this year it seemed like the right time. The photo is from our of our kitchen window the day after the last big snow fall. As you can see the water holder is rather covered in snow....But I'm hoping that with the feeder there we may see more birds in the garden and will also be able to give suitable leftovers to our own birds instead of taking them to the crows and ducks in the riverside meadow.

So far this new year, the wildlife spotted has been the usual suspects: one spotted woodpecker seen by Jim on our walk today and several swans - but no kingfishers so far, no birds of prey, and no hares though we were on the walk where we have seen hares in the past (the Newport Pagnell circuit through Quarry Hall farm)